The Shari Balance
The rice is the soul of the dish. A good sushi spot uses rice seasoned with just enough vinegar, sugar, and salt to make the fish pop. It should be served at roughly room temperature, never fridge cold, and the grains should hold together without being mushy. If the rice is bland or hard, the whole piece is ruined.
The Kiosk Culture
In Singapore, we love our sushi kiosks for a fast lunch. While not gourmet, a good kiosk version should still have glossy fish and neatly wrapped seaweed. Avoid those with pale, dry looking salmon or seaweed that has gone completely soft and chewy. Freshness moves fast at busy mall outlets, which is usually a good sign.
Quick answers
- Should I use my hands or chopsticks?
- Both are actually acceptable. In many traditional settings, using your fingers to pick up nigiri is the proper way to keep the rice from falling apart.
- Why is there ginger on the side?
- That is gari, or pickled ginger. It is meant to cleanse your palate between different types of fish so you can actually taste the subtle differences.